For the past six years, Family Groove Company has been putting their own twist on what it means to be a “live” band. This four-piece band has been bringing a unique sound and style to the stage, playing more than 600 shows since their inception in 2001. You can call it funk or jazz, but this jam band doesn’t like to be painted into corners. “Picking one [genre] would be hard. [We] call ourselves groove-informed jazz rock … We put out a really good groove that puts people on their feet and keeps them there,” said Jordan Wilkow, who plays Fender Rhodes and organ and
sings lead vocals.
Their music is fresh, unpredictable and unexpectedly catchy for a “jam band.” With Family Groove Company, what you see on stage is what you get. There are no gimmicks here, just honest talent, which not only shows through their sound but in the band’s persona as well. “[We’ve] never really been into novelty,” said Wilkow. “[It’s part of] why we left L.A. — the scene up there seemed to be about gimmick. [We] create first-rate music and present it honestly … we want to be entertaining, but we’re ourselves. Hopefully people
don’t find us boring.”
With the group’s virtuosity and enthusiasm on stage, it’s hard to find a bored audience at a FGC show. One part of being a jam band is allowing room for improvisation on stage. “[Jamming] lets us be more adventurous on stage … that’s very gratifying. Audiences are more receptive to songs that stray from [the] typical pop/rock formula,” Wilkow said.
While improvisation adds that special touch to a show, Family Groove Company is sure to succeed in the studio as well. “I do most of the songwriting,” Wilkow said. “Its a deliberate process … within the song is where we allow spontaneity to happen.”
While their Canopy show on Sept. 26 promises to be entertaining for the audience, it will also prove as an important show for the band. Besides having Daphne Willis & Co. as guests, FGC will be selling exclusive advance copies of their new album, Models and Metrics, which won’t be officially released until Sept. 30. They will be appropriately highlighting their new material during the show. In addition, and this is straight from Wilkow, “[We’ll be] happy to hand a free live CD to anyone that mentions they read this article.” That’s right, folks! So go out, and see what’s new with Family Groove Company, and get a free live CD for being an avid buzz reader.
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